Rail trails in Maryland

Rail trails in Maryland
Name	Rail trails in Maryland
Location	Maryland, United States
Established	Various
Length	Various
Use	Hiking, cycling, horseback riding, cross-country skiing
Surface	Paved, crushed stone, natural

Rail trails in Maryland provide multiuse corridors converted from former railroad rights-of-way across Maryland, linking urban centers, rural landscapes, and Chesapeake Bay shoreline. These pathways connect destinations such as Baltimore, Annapolis, Frederick, Hagerstown, and Ocean City, and interface with regional networks including the East Coast Greenway, the American Discovery Trail, and the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network. Managed by agencies like the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, nonprofit groups such as the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and local jurisdictions including Prince George's County and Montgomery County, rail trails serve recreation, heritage tourism, and active transportation.

Overview

Maryland's rail-trail system spans former corridors of railroads including the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Western Maryland Railway, the Camden Line, and the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Railroad. Major rail-trail corridors include the Grist Mill Trail, the C&O Canal Towpath (adjacent to former tow and rail corridors tied to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal), the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail, the Great Allegheny Passage connection region near Cumberland, and the Ma and Pa Trail in Baltimore County and Harford County. Trail surfaces range from asphalt and compacted stone to crushed limestone, accommodating bicyclists, walkers, equestrians, and paddlers accessing rivers like the Potomac River, the Patapsco River, and the Susquehanna River.

History and development

The conversion movement in Maryland traces roots to preservation efforts following rail line abandonments by carriers such as the Penn Central Transportation Company and successors of Conrail, with policy impetus from federal legislation like the National Trails System Act and organizations including the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Early projects reused corridors formerly operated by the Western Maryland Railway and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, with local champions in municipalities like Annapolis and Frederick County advocating adaptive reuse. Funding and planning often involved the Maryland Historical Trust, the National Park Service, and regional planning bodies such as the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Trail development integrated historic preservation of resources linked to events and sites like the Antietam National Battlefield region, industrial heritage tied to the Baltimore Harbor and the Catoctin Furnace, and recreational policy goals advanced by the Maryland Department of Transportation.

Notable rail trails by region

Northern Maryland hosts corridors like the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail (formerly Northern Central Railway), the Ma and Pa Trail tracing portions of the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, and the Gunpowder Falls State Park trail spurs adjacent to the North Point State Battlefield site. In Central Maryland, notable corridors include the Baltimore and Annapolis Trail connecting Annapolis and Glen Burnie; the Jones Falls Trail through Baltimore linking to the Inner Harbor; and the WB&A Trail in Prince George's County and Anne Arundel County. Western Maryland features long-distance links such as the Allegheny Highlands Trail approaching Cumberland and the interconnected Great Allegheny Passage links to Pittsburgh, while southern Maryland includes routes repurposed from the Calvert County, Charles County, and St. Mary's County lines, creating access to sites like St. Mary's City and Solomons. Coastal Eastern Shore trail projects leverage corridors once operated by the Delmarva Central Railroad and historic steamboat landings tied to Chincoteague Bay and Assateague Island.

Trail features and amenities

Typical amenities on Maryland rail trails encompass paved and crushed-stone surfaces, bridges over waterways such as the Patuxent River and Gunpowder Falls, trailheads with parking at locations like Falls Road Station and MARC Camden Line crossings, interpretive signage referencing the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum and local historic stations, restrooms and water fountains maintained by parks agencies, and wayfinding that ties into regional systems including the East Coast Greenway Alliance and the American Trails network. Accessibility improvements reflect standards from the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and many corridors incorporate safety features coordinated with Maryland State Police and local transit nodes such as Baltimore Penn Station and BWI Airport. Adjacent attractions include preserved stations, industrial sites like the Sparrows Point complex, natural areas such as Patapsco Valley State Park, and cultural venues like the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture.

Management, conservation, and funding

Management arrangements span state stewardship by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, county park systems (e.g., Montgomery County Department of Parks), municipal agencies in Baltimore City, and conservation organizations including the Audubon Naturalist Society and the Trust for Public Land. Funding sources historically include federal programs administered by the National Park Service, transportation grants from the Federal Highway Administration, state capital budgets, and philanthropic support from foundations such as the Annie E. Casey Foundation and community fundraising by groups like Friends of the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail. Conservation initiatives coordinate with the Chesapeake Bay Program to protect riparian buffers and with the Maryland Historical Trust for preservation of rail heritage. Land acquisition often used mechanisms like railbanking under the National Trails System Act Amendments.

Recreation and economic impact

Rail trails contribute to tourism economies in towns such as Ellicott City, Sykesville, Havre de Grace, Eldersburg, and Ocean City by increasing visitation to lodging, dining, and heritage sites including the B&O Railroad Museum and the Maryland State House. Health and active-transportation benefits link to regional planning objectives of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority transit-oriented projects. Economic analyses by transportation and nonprofit entities show job creation in bicycle retail and hospitality sectors, property-value effects adjacent to corridors in jurisdictions like Howard County and Prince George's County, and community revitalization in former industrial centers such as Cumberland and Laurel. Events hosted on trails connect to organizations like USA Cycling and local marathon groups, while stewardship by volunteer groups fosters civic engagement exemplified by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy local chapters and regional friends groups.

Category:Trails in Maryland